Blood Moon: Equestria
by whendarknessfalls4
Summary: "I came to this world when least I expected, taking advantage as another chance to change my life. But that didn't seem possible as the ghost from the past pursuit me to this place to punish me for all my mistakes done before." When I get reviews I'll keep it going, I accept criticism in order to improve the story.
1. Introduction

Another day that I have to be ready to lead on with lies, with a mind that the superiors tried to fill with lies about freedom, honor and "democracy" to make the world safer.

Another day that even when I was surrounded by people, I still feel all alone and empty on the inside, my only company was the scream of the fallen, and the only thing that could comfort me was the smell of the burned corpses after war and the taste of skooma roaming next to my toungue, travelling through my throat. That was my signal that tells me that I was safe for now.

I wasn't born to think of anyone that my reward and pride, and please the one who gave me that reward. It doesn't bother me live like this pretty much, maybe It was by the pathetic skooma slag that I was, I thought that just by bury my head on the ground all the problems would banish from my life.

I was wrong. They always stay to haunt you for the rest of your life, unless you have the guts to get them out from there.

And must of this is because... Before my marriage I didn't have any friends to go with. I have some friends but... They weren't exactly the kind of cool or good people to lunch, or even take a walk. But after my marriage, I though everything was going to be different, that I would have a nice house, a good job, a son to play with... Teach him how to be a good warrior.

I learned that life is a bitch from time in time, and it would punish you without recieving nothing in change.

Passing the years the love and care banish from our relationship, leaving nothing more than a trace of endless fighting... arguing... hating... I didn't know why, even when both of know where the drift of our relationship was going, there was something that keep us together. Something that even when we got to bear each other, we managed to get over it and continue with our lifes, faking that everything was ok.

She was the only one left, who stayed always next to me even after all the problems. She was my light in my darkened world.

But Thanks to my problem, my life was reduced to nothing more than being a parasite on something that used to be my family. I was so selfish by never think about my daughter in those moments. Seeing her scared expression every time it sees me barely able to stand, or yelling to my wife. And even when she forgiven my mistakes, I just keep going of being the same piece of shit, over and over again.

When I was tired, I drink. When I was stressed, I drink. And when I was pretty sure that drinking would banish my problems only for a moment until I recover myself and see that I just make a deal with the Devil that in the end everything would be much more fucked up... I drink.

And now after a long time, the devil came to retrieve his price...

One moment I was doing the same lame routine that I always do waiting the moment to die, ending up on some godforsaken place where I was pretty sure I would be use as food for the rats wandering around. And suddenly turning home I see how the few things that really should matter for me, banished from my life.

I couldn't handle a situation like that, knowing that I wasn't able to survive without both of them. I didn't know where I could be able to gain will of life. But then I just turned my sight on a bottle of skooma... I have nothing to lose anyway, so I just restart the cycle. I didn't have a soul to burn anymore...

I just wanted to finish that cycle, at least for a moment. But in those depressing days, I could only give to myself peace by putting a rope around my neck.

And so... This is how my journey begins.

**Darkness Will Fall:**

_A Fracture Between Worlds._


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The Devil Came For His Price

_5E 100. Falinesti, Valenwood. The night where the Oblivion rises again upon us_

Battlecry I heard among the troops surrounding the capital. Catapults were ready to burn to ashes the city and everyone who stand inside of it, it didn't matter for them about the children who didn't even have the choice to born in any better time than this, or the women who were left behind about politics, women that didn't have the fault of the actions of the men who used to call themselves "Lords" over anything. They do nothing than give false promises to their people, only to be scattered like dust in the wind. And this night would be the time where all of them would pay for their sins with the blood of everyone they used to love.

I remember how that night go. I backpacked some stuff before leaving that pig pen where I used to live, I didn't have any plans to die tonight, same as the other soldiers who were ready to give a feast with the blood and bones of their enemy, bashing their shields and rising their swords.

Soldiers reunited together before the war to hear the words of the captain, all of us were more than ready for the blood bath, but as in every war, some of us feared to fight for a future than most of us would not be alive to see, or people who don't even have a life, so they came here, like me, to make their death worth. "People of Skyrim! We are here because we're tired of the elvish scum who impose their laws upon us!"

"The same scum who slaughter our loyal workers, farmers, and any other loyal son of Skyrim, that their only sin was do their honorable work to sustent their lives, a life that our ancestors fight against the Empire to retrieve what is ours by right ¿but all for what?

"¿To let those yellow skin son of a bitches desecrate our land?, ¿to rape and murder our women and daughters?, ¿to enslave our innocents?, ¿for what reason? All for claiming what it's ours, for claiming what our ancestors died for and that until this day, we are fighting to protect. For the future of our children, the next rulers of Skyrim, the ones who will bring honor to their parents and will protect this land of anyone who dare to desecrate it.

"But now, after long months of pain, we will return the favor to the fucking Thalmor! Right inside those wall, it's the reason we are all here: The Thalmor managed to create a weapon, but not anything that we have seen yet; a beast that breath fire and spits steel. That's power that non of us mortals are ready to have in our hands, least the Thalmor-" Said the captain as I move between the lines of men, trying to get closer to the captain as he kept giving the speech "now, get ready people, because tonight we'll send them to the void of the Oblivion, together with anyone who cross in our path!"

The ambient was getting tense and my heart was beating like drums. I have to accept it sooner or later, I couldn't stay like a slag forever. I was physically prepared to make harm to an enemy, and let's be realistic; we already knew that this moment it was going to come soon or later with the expectancy of life I got, but it was more easy to wave a sword against a dummy than fighting against something that can return you the hit.

As I get close to the captain we recognize each other at the moment our eyes crossed.

"Skal...? ¿What are you doing here?, crazy bastard!"

I receive him with joy in my face too, and stretched hands together with him. It was a pleasure to meet one, if not the only person who could understand me and agree with him in almost every opinion. We might have our moments of agreements or moments of tension together. But as always, there is nothing that a fine bottle of ale together with this bastard couldn't fix.

"I was asking that too about you, Vilkas-" we let ourselves go "-It is nice to see you again."

"¿Are you ready to fight against those Thalmor dogs?" asked Vilkas.

"More than ready to bet that I can take more Thalmor than any of you and your mens together" I responded.

Vilkas laugh out loud and gave a slight hit to my chest armor. "That's the Skal I remember on the first day we met on the army lines!"

"You better get in place. Once this walls fall down, we will rise the oblivion upon them." Said Vilkas.

Vilkas ordered to get in place, the soldiers bring a battering ram to breach the doors to the city. The soldiers lines up behind the device and ready each other to the moment of the siege.

"Prepare!" Yelled one of the soldiers that manage the battering ram.

The troops warmed and stretched, and bashed their swords against their shields to increase the courage on them.

"Rise the ram!" Advice again the soldier.

The soldiers stood steady, undisturbed and ready for the battle that was coming, with their shield and sword on each hand. I look at Vilkas and gave him a slight punch in the shoulder.

"The one who send to Oblivion more Thalmors, won't pay the drinks of this night" I said defiant to Vilkas.

Vilkas smiled confident and responded, "Ha! I hope you don't mind if the bank take away your house and throw you to dirt of the streets"

Both smiled confident of the challenge, and we prepare ourselves and turned our sight to the gate. "Attack!"

The door was crushed to its fundations. The files of men enter to the city, being recieved by a storm of fire and ice by the Thalmor warlocks. Few mens were the ones who perish against the first attack, but it was nothing that our archers couldn't handle.

As our mens were invading the walls of Falinesti, it were the moments where it felt like the dremora take power upon them. We keep moving foward, and of hours of endless fighting, Thalmor and Stormcloak perish upon the orders of their lords. Houses were burned, and the skies that used to have spread stars far beyond now were fog by the red light of the fire on trees and houses.

Hours of battle occured in that night, I give myself a moment to see the carnage unleashed in this land that used to be beautiful once. I shocked seeing the barbary of the Stormcloaks... I doubted if the honor means something to anyone, even the to the Stormcloaks, in this times. And when I thought it couldn't be worst, catapults on our side surrounded what was left from the city, throwing spheres of burning hell that crushed everyone and everything that stayed in its radio.


	3. Chapter 1: Part 2

_This wasn't supposed to be part of the plan..._

The last thing I could feel was repulsion, seeing how the civilians run out calcined from their burning houses, or being taken out, preparing them to see their beloved one executed one by one. Women, children, elderly... The Stormcloaks didn't care about any of them, neither the sentimental value the elves have to the land and trees of their ancestors. For what they fight for before... For what we claim too in our land that we fight for...

I can say now that they lowered to be same as worst like the Thalmor. The bastards didn't even leave the dogs alive.

The blind dance of the swords and the blood shed continued until there were nothing more than the sound of crying of the enemy twitching in the ground, silent that didn't last much as it were broken by the sound of a crying little girl who was wounded by a sword, crawling in the ground in any hope to be saved.

I saw how as long she keep dragged her body to approach me, as long as she left a longer trace of blood in the dirt. She approach to me, and in a weak attempt, she grabbed my leg with her small hands and looked at me into the eyes, with her eyes shedding tears.

The only thing I could though is the fact of what she was thinking in those moments, wondering to herself what was her mistake to deserve a faith like this. She and her family aren't the ones who stand up on the Thalmor lines and decided to raid villages on Skyrim, and kill everyone who stand in front of her. Neither most of anyone of this people we just killed.

"Sir...-" Said the girl as she tried in weak attempts to rise her face stained in tears and blood "-What we did to provoke the wrath of the gods?"

I didn't do nothing than see her, I was shocked by the situation. I couldn't believe the barbaric act we just did. And I couldn't do more than watch the poor girl drowning in the absence of oxygen running in her system. She layed her head in my boots. I felt how her head pressed against my feet, lightening and weighing as she tried to pull air with effort to survive, and felt how she weakened in seconds. I stood there, freeze by the shock. I didn't do anything to end her misery... I didn't have the fucking guts to do it.

"I see another one!-" I heard one of my allies shout as he approach to me with a sword raised "-Thalmor bitch!"

He brandish his sword, stabbing against the little girl spine. The sound of the source of air getting cut of her lungs come to my ears, and if it wasn't enough, the soldier left his sword in the girl's back and crouch on her to pull out a knife, pull up her head from my boot to expose her throat, and swing the blade against the trachea... And left the innocent creäture, seeing how life slid though her fingers.

I couldn't even believe what the fuck did I see.

The red skies, stained by the blood of the massacre in this night... Makes me realize that sometimes, the Oblivion that every priest and believer talks about, the Mythic Dawn aren't the first, neither the last one who tried to rise the hell upon us. And for what I see I'm more than sure that there are worst thing than the Oblivion.

I didn't enlist to the army for this.

"Valkir!" I yelled upset as I approach to Valkir who was standing victorious next to a pile of burned corpses of civilians.

"Hey Skal! look we win this battle, we're near to the victory of this war. We just need to move some meters deep inside of this city. there it is where the bastard king of the Thalmor is...-" I keep approaching to him upset, as he just keep talking about victory and the plan of "freedom" Tamriel of the Thalmor, I punched him in the face and he fell to the ground with his nose bleeding "- ¿¡What the fuck is wrong with you!?"

"No, ¿what the fuck is wrong with you? Look at your surroundings and tell me what you see!" I yelled at him as he started to get up and recover conscience.

"Yeah, high elves dead as planned, ¿so what?" He answered.

"¿So what? There are innocent families between the corpses! People that didn't have nothing to do with it." I replied back to Vilkas, more by the lack of empathy he had at the moment of swinging his sword against an innocent women.

"Look, you know exactly what was the kind of shit it was coming when you decided to join the war. And I don't see why you're being such a fucking baby, ¿do I have to remind you the things that they did in our land?" Said Vilkas.

"But they wasn't guilty of the choices of their lords like the people who died in those villages. They did have families, sons, daughters, wife and husbands to take care of, the same way our people do in our lands before the attacks, and they have nothing to do with the choices their lord takes." I shouted in his face.

"Now we are worst than the Thalmor, and you know we could just take them out of their houses and let them go away, but we didn't-" Vilkas grabbed my head with his hands and pointed my sight to him "-Look, we lose mens with families too in this night, and sometimes it's required to make small sacrifices for the good of the many. So I beg you, stop crying and think about what we are about to do for the future of Tamriel, so don't screw it."

As he finish talking he decided to walk away ordering his troops to regroup. But I wasn't going to left that fucker go so easily.

"Look at you... Now you sound a look like the Thalmor..." I defy Vilkas.

Words that striked hard Vilkas as I could see his gaze on me as he approached. As a Stormcloak, there was just two things that leave those bastard mad like a troll: Not having their daily part of booze running on their veins, and be compared to their worst enemy; that clearly was the Thalmor and the Imperial. And so he punched me right in the pit of the stomach to left me suffocate.

"You never dare to compare me to those yellow-skin shit! Understand!?" He yelled at me.

I wanted to see Vilkas dead in that moment. I can't believe the words that came from his mouth, I can't even believe that this was the goal of our ancestors in first place while fighting against the Thalmor. But part of what Vilkas said was right, sometimes we need to do sacrifices on life. After this I can't even imagine what the Thalmor will plan to do as a revenge for the fallen.

So I stand up and managed to follow the step of the men.

Vilkas regrouped the soldiers left, and me together, moved deep to the center of the city, a place where great walls surrounded us, and an architecture was visible inside a giant tree in the middle of the walls.

We raised our shields and slowly walked to the tree. Something in that moment, something just felt... Wrong. Like if death was coming from far away. I feel like if time was running out, and my anxiety of staying sober of any drop of skooma didn't help much in the moment. I look out on the skies to see if I were able to see something unusual.

We took our steps deeper, approaching more and more to the tree. We could easily return to our homes and rest with a fine bottle of Honningbrew Mead in our hands... It could be possible if it wasn't by what was expecting us inside those walls.

"Did you heard that?" One of the soldiers warned to the group.

"Aye... I can hear it too." Responded back another soldier.

Vilkas and I looked each other. By his look I can tell that, same as any of us, he didn't have any clue of what was going on. We stopped, everyone look around the walls expecting to find the origin of the sound. We don't find anything.

Vilkas make a sign with his hand to stop, and pointed out above the walls. We found out around us, how the Thalmor pushed giant cylindrical artifacts on the walls. They were like battle rams in shape, but the cylindrical steel that were held on by wood structures. But it didn't have any point used to ram against objects, and the heights of the walls plus the distance, would make those artifacts more useless. But the expression of Vilkas on his face make us freeze like ice, he finally realized that the Thalmor had something going on, but the ignorance of our men on those early moments of that... "magic" called powder being developed, would make us pay a high price.

What I could expect of us: murderer, drunken, thief... Sadly an unlucky family man, that's mostly the kind of men that any army have on their lines. This is the kind of place you come to die when you're nothing more than scum in life.

"Run!" Ordered Vilkas as he turned his way back from where we came.

The soldiers confused looked each other, not much far away from us, there was light coming up the walls... Moments later, a bursting sound that startled the troops. Everything was confusion to us until a thunder of steel exploded right in front of us... Now we knew what await for us if we stayed still.

The storm coming to us was heavy, and the fear just go from bad to worse. We watched how our thousands and thousands of brothers and sisters, perished right in front of our eyes, leaving nothing more than a cloud of blood and earth raised in front of us. In nothing more than matter of minutes, from the thousand we used to be, reduced to hundred. And from hundred, it reduced to barely ten.

And now it reduced to only me.

I ran as fast as we could. I didn't stop, I didn't even bothered to turn around. I could hear how the Thalmor were following their way against me.

I could hear the galloping of their horses coming to me. That fucking coward of Vilkas... He left us right before we knew death await us in those walls. I hope he got reached by an arrow... Or hopefully by any of those balls of death.

I ran across the wasteland that was now Falinesti. The smell of death that came from the place, it was insupportable. It wasn't more than one time I wish to surrender myself and finish this hell, anyway I didn't have anyone to await for my arrival to home.

Right between a road surrounded by wasted houses, I could see freedom right in front of me. I felt how the carbonized smoke were replaced by clean air as I approach more and more to the exit of the city, I felt how once I were able to close I could leave this god forsaken job and live a decent life far away as I could from death. I could even dream about how I could move out somewhere else and restart my life, find a nice women, have some kids...

Everything banished into darkness in the matter of a steel lighting hitting the ground in front of me.

So close, but yet so far.

The sunlight illuminated my life no longer.


	4. Chapter 1: Part 3

_Or at least it's what the Thalmor thought._

I recover my mind. As my sight got clear, I could see myself into the darkness deeps, provoked by tall trees that stopped any sunlight to be absorbed in our skin. Everything was dark, I couldn't see a lot of things clear at the moment than the bushes and leafs of the trees. But I could recognize one figure, a figure who stand in front of me dragging me to the deeps of the woods.

As my awareness stopped giving rounds to my head, I could recognize immediately the figure dragging me. It was the bastard of Vilkas.

I push him away with my legs and manage to stand and take him down to the ground. That son of a bitch ran away and left his men die while he escape, without having the least decency to stay together like me with his soldiers like the captain he boast in the canteen of all Skyrim. He leading us to a potential trap without predicting that they can use their new weapon against us. Worst now, for what I see, I don't even want to imagine the number of those things arround all Tamriel, and on the hands of the Thalmor fleet, using it to their porpoise in war.

"What are you trying to do Skal?, ¿Get ourselves catched by the Thalmor?-" Vilkas struggled putting his hands around my neck "-If they don't kill us, the faith that await us would be worst than be sent to the Oblivion! You have luck that I take you out of there alive."

"There was more than one weapon, Vilkas. ¿Why you didn't predict that? You know how the fucking Thalmor is like. Not only innocent high elves paid unfairly tonight, but the mother and childrens of Skyrim will await an arrival in vain.-" I took aside his hands and angry pulled him against me "-Now tell me... ¿Why?, by the sake of Talos, ¿why we came here?"

Vilkas started to laugh at my words. That son of a bitch was hidding something from me, he was an ass from time in time, but I needed to know what was hiding from me. To all of us. A lot of blood was shed in this night to be up in his games.

"Did you mother never taught you to never swear in the name of your gods in vain?" Said Vilkas as he ended up laughing in front of my face.

"Fuck you, Vilkas!" I yelled at him as I give him a punch and decided to walk away, tired of his shit.

"Where the hell you think you are going?-" He putted away his hand from his bleeding nose "-If you don't die now, you can be more than sure that you will regret give those steps in the rest of your life."

"I have regretting being alive a long time ago." I said as I left Vilkas in those woods and continue my way back home.

Vilkas take my words as a joke and don't bothered to laugh at it. I'll let the bastard be, anyway; he is a dead man already like all of us who came here in first place.

Long time I spend walking trying to find my way again to anywhere possible to refuge, but I can't use any of the footpath without risking myself of being caught by the Thalmor.

I could see how the sun rises upon this land, erasing all the dark in the sky from that turbulent night. I ran out of energy steps ago... I don't think I would be able to continue if I don't rest to restore energy soon, but the Thalmor could be able to catch me if I stay here but... This place seems to be pretty far away from any city where the Thalmor could be, and my eyelids were heavy... I just lay my head in the ground...

And tried to close my eyes...

The dirt felt much more soft and comfortable than a night in a bed of the barracks.

_Morning after the Stormcloak massacre in Falinesti._

"Halt...! Leave the Stormcloak scum here." I heard a women call beneath the shadows that fogged my eyes.

I felt how my body were raised and left to hit the ground hard. My head give rounds like crazy... I don't know where am I. I don't believe I'll leave unscathed from here.

"Take the hood out. I want him to be aware of his punishment" I heard a female voice coming beneath the darkness that fogged my eyes.

"You think you bloody Stormcloak could enter our city to murder our people and get away with?-" I felt how a fist striked against my jaw just after she finished those words, it couldn't even feel it in the state I was in "- No one escapes the Thalmor! The only way you free yourself for what awaits you it's by death... But that would be merciful compared to the agony you caused in our capital."

I recover myself and on my knees I tried to rise my face to try to recognize the area that surrounded me. Knowing the sadistic and twisted revengeful mind of the Thalmor, I knew that they would like to keep me alive as possible. But either they send me to coal mines or decide to keep me captive as their pet, as a message to everyone in Skyrim who dare to put a stand in front the Thalmor; the only think I could be more than sure is that Vilkas is the only one who's able to spread the voice about what Tamriel would face if we don't stop thinking about stupid manners as race supremacy.

Right now the world would face a destiny unfair for any new blood who gods forsake them in this land by the big menace the Thalmor represent to theirselves and the world. But by the time it would take to the other lands to convince drop the Thalmor gold to join us against them, there is nothing more than hope that the winds of the storm of war lead us home.

"I know exactly why you are here. Don't worry, you aren't the first one who try to steal our plains and failed miserably." Said the female elf as she started to walk around, examining the burned branches remain from what used to be a home for a family of elves.

"But what surprise me is... -" She knelt next to a burnt corpse "- I thought that the honor was the first priority for you, the Stormcloaks. I thought your people never fall into provocations... Now I see I was wrong."

"You are nothing more than hypocrites dogs, with a megalomaniac vision of the future of Tamriel, thinking that everything should have your fucking ugly face carved in gold!" I confronted her.

Apparently the guard who was pointing at me with his fancy new weapon didn't like that comment at all, and so he started beating me up with the female elf, apathetic watching my suffering.

"Enough." Ordered the elf when I seem to be in my last stand for her.

"¿You really think that the Stormcloaks give a shit about you in this moment? They don't care about any of you, neither of anyone who they have to crush on their way to convince the other provinces they are right. That's why your people die in the snow, hungry and poor. ¿All that for what?, ¿because the ego and pride of your lord are more important than the safety of your people? -" She pulled my head by my hair, making me face their look "- You don't even know the real reason they bring you up here, ¿Isn't?"

"The Thalmor gave your people a lot of opportunities a whole Era ago to surrender and free Skyrim of the boundaries of the severe developmental delay, and now that's what condemned your people."

"No... What condemned our people is your lack of empathy every time you rise your swords against someone who don't think same as you." I said to her, weakened of the wounds of the beating gave to me.

She let my hair go and started to walk right behind me with a dagger that she used to fondle the skin of my neck.

"Ok, I'll admit it. We need to do lesser sacrifice for the good of the many, and to do that we might need to get rid of... some obstruction of progress. -" She put her hands on my shoulders "- But that doesn't mean we don't care about the people. We actually do, and pretty much. But as I say before, there are sacrifices that are need to be done to do the good of the many... The only thing we can do is choose the right sacrifice, so the bad consequences don't overpass the good consequences.

"That's why, as you see time after you crushed our city, we have the necessary tools now to finish this war, and end everyone who represents a threat against the Thalmor and their threat of peace to the world." She boasted.

"And you will be the one who witness first the new order. -" She pulled Vilkas to his knees next to me "- But don't worry, you won't be alone."

They got fucking Vilkas. I don't know really if this is worst than before, being him the only hope of Skyrim who survived to tell the world what was going on. But it was pretty clear now that every hope Skyrim had is gone now. And worst for us, at least the soldiers of yesterday, and the ones of the futures wars, would have a fast agony compared to what the Thalmor will do to Vilkas and me. I can tell that our gods have a strange ways to make the people pay for their sins.

"Vilkas... You idiot." I said to Vilkas.

"Yea, nice to see you too, knucklehead." Responded Vilkas.

The female elf walked in front of us, one we stared face to face, she crouched and direct herself to Vilkas.

"So, Vilkas. For what I can see in your uniform, you were the one who leaded those soldiers to destroy the life in Falinesti, ¿Am I right?" She asked to Vilkas.

"It's Captain Vilkas for you, Thalmor bitch." Vilkas responded bothered.

"How you dare!?" Said the guard behind us, who prepared a beating for Vilkas.

As the beating continue on Vilkas, his face started to puff, his nose started to bleed, and one of his eyes were black. But Vilkas was a bastard until the end. As the guard stopped the beating by himself he gave to Vilkas a menacing look to stop him intimidation, with his scarred lips and puffed eyelids, he chuckle in front of the face of the Thalmor, daring him to give his best shot. Thing that didn't bother the guard to do, but the female Thalmor knew exactly that would be a favor, an honor she would not give to her nemesis. And so she stopped the guard before he shoot.

"I have to admire that you Stormcloaks are not easy subdue... But it doesn't matter here anymore. Anyway, you either live the rest of your life working in our iron mines, that would be used to create the same weapons who will be used to take Tamriel, or you either escape from here with a bullet in your head. But I'm pretty sure you savages even not knowing what a bullet is, you know exactly what it porpoise it's meant for." She said to us.

"So, I would recommend to you, captain, and you, prisoner, to talk about any useful information for us about the moves your lord would take. There is no home for you to return now, and I prefer... -" She kicked me to the ground and put his boot over my throat "- to do this the less nasty as possible."

"Maybe you could start with... -" She looked at me "- Telling to your friend why his friends needed to die in that night in first place."

I saw Vilkas taking a breath, the way he looked at the ground distressed told me that something was going up to his mind. I don't believe he was feeling any sorry for the Red Night from yesterday, but something was up to his mind. It can't be something good.

Vilkas after few moments he decided, he sighted and looked at me.

"Ok, ¿you wanted to hear the real reason of being dragged here? Ok then, the real reason is; our lord, same as others, we knew about the Thalmor and their new fancy technology.

"But we see that as an opportunity to end the war same as the Thalmor, by stealing their plans and using it to bend them to their knees, all the people of Cyrodiil and Valenwood. With that they would be giving to our power the biggest source of septims in all Tamriel. If we take over that, technically we have power over all.

"But we would not leave our principles by coins, what would change its the eradication of war, and make sure that any Imperial and High Elf think twice before deciding to put their issues over the ones of the town's people. All the people of Tamriel would have normal lifes far away from any war. Except for the Imperial and High Elves, we cannot risk to another potential menace. But we needed to make that small sacrifice to reach that end.

"We knew about the existence of the weapon, but what we didn't knew it was about if it's so powerful as the Thalmor claimed to be, thinking that could be nothing more than a desperate strategy by the Thalmor to cause fear over the town's people. -" Vilkas chuckle "- I think this is the first time we have to take the word of the Thalmor."

"But as I said before, I won't leave my principles by a few coins, I could easily throw you to the wolfs and run away and end with my pockets filled with gold. But it wasn't worth it at the end. That's why you are alive... Or atleast until you screwed all." Finished Vilkas.

I looked at Vilkas disappointed. Being in the lines of the Stormcloak were the only life that I knew, and Vilkas were the only one who know that more than anyone. And now, being almost betrayed by my friend, and left along in the danger to die like a dog by the people who gave me food, a roof to hideout, and clothes to wear and protect myself from the cold winds of my land; It make me doubt about my beliefs to this days, it make me doubt if it was worth living this day.

A man can always choose the faith of his life, I could easily choose the life of a homeless man who fight to survive in the streets for food, away from any men war and menace they represent. But atleast; I knew perfect that I have more fear of the people than the creatures that lurk in my presence. They at least are predictable in their actions... Humanoids don't.

And same Vilkas could have decided a better strategy to fight against the Thalmor. But he didn't.

"How much, Vilkas...?" I said to Vilkas, who left me in silence with the doubt.

"Vilkas... How much..." I repeated again, hurted by the wounds. Left me in the doubt again, he felt a little regret for betraying me.

He didn't have the guts to answer that question for me. He knew that the most probably end it's me hating him and me wish for his death like in the situation we are now. And so he kept the secret with him to his grave.

"I think I spoke enough..." Vilkas answered.

"Now... Could you cut the shit of your Thalmor drama and tell us what will be for us?" He said to the female Thalmor.

"Well, we can't kill you so easy like that, after what you done to us... We won't like to make you that favor, it would be merciful compared to the suffering you have..."

"Cut the shit and go straight to the point!" Interrupted Vilkas.

She raised her gaze to Vilkas, offended for what he said. But didn't matter much for what she had planned for us.

"You'll rot in our iron mines. ¿Are you happy now?" She answered to Vilkas.

Vilkas lowered his face disappointed in the ground. But instead of get upset or gave to himself the right of drop his last tears... He actually... Chuckle...? "It's just what I expected..."

The female elf looked confused by the reaction of Vilkas, and before she could say anything, Vilkas leaned against the Thalmor in a fraudulent attempt to rip off with a bite her jugular. It could have succeded... Just maybe. But the hole left in the skull of Vilkas by the guard behind us told otherwise.

That's what he waited to do since he bowed to the knew of that high elf. That was what stinked at the beggining, Vilkas would never let himself get trapped on battle, and for what he were taught being a Stormcloak, the only way they could get him would be dead... He didn't kill the Thalmor, but the small wounds he left in her neck would surely piss her off enough to taunt them before running away from life, like an angel of death.

Fight well or die well. Rest in peace, bastard to the end. The Thalmor who recieved a the bite of Vilkas did get upset about it, and she didn't think much about dragging me all over the floor and beat the shit out of me...

"If you want me to rip your balls with a dull knife, give me an excuse like your friend did!" She answered angry towards me.

"Take this scum away of my eye sight. And he better be extracting iron before the morning or both would be the next whose brain will be splattered all over the room. Understand!?" She ordered to the guard.

She was a charmer, ¿Isn't she? I could appreciate how she touched her wound, and smacked the wall with her fist in anger... Vilkas, crazy bastard. Now that the smoke is gone and the air of my future is clear, the ones who would write the story of Tamriel from now and ever, turned me into their puppet. I have the courage to take other lives.

But not mine, neither for a selfish merciful end.


	5. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

No Land For Old Men

_5E 110. Jagar Tharn Ship, sailing the seas of Black Marsh._

Ten years happened since they got me after that fatidic night. In those ten years that they did nothing than scar my skin like a canvas until the crust hoard my skin, and so they waited again until it reduces to scars to mark my skin again.

I don't know if anyone remembers me back in my land, and I won't even care about it if they didn't. I miss the feeling of the sun on my skin, I don't think I remembered how the outside looks like, only seeing it through canvas while walking inside the catacombs who would turn into my life for now.

I have the freedom so close to me in more than one chance, but... before I used to have fear of being imprisoned by the Thalmor and try to go through their torture, and never be able to see my home again. But now I have spent part of my life living in caves, crawling in rocks, extracting the iron through them... Fighting against other miners for a piece of bread that the guards in the dirt, it didn't matter for me the blood that I needed to spill, or the state of the food. All what mattered for me now it was the idea of staying alive.

I didn't have a clear reason for that, I just felt it supposed to be like that. It might be for the sensation of the permanent end coming every time one of the other prisoners put a shiv towards me.

Even when the wills of the gods were more than proven in this life, being one god who faced by himself the Mehrune Dagon to stop the Oblivion crisis, to save a world for the future generations; having to wake up and not seeing the sunlight of the morning coming beneath any windows or in any other kind of way possible, not feeling that fresh air of the nordic blowing towards me, but still knowing there is a world outside, it proves to me that the gods exist. They are just not with me anymore.

Now that I have seen the true face of the humankind, now I'm more afraid with the idea of escape to the outside and not knowing what to do, not having a single familiar face to recognize me, not having anyway to go without fearing about being betrayed again. At least here it was like living with animals, their actions were more predictable as I stayed beneath the shadows of the corner were I crawled to hide myself from the memories of the damage from the places where I used to be.

The ship sailed to Morrowind. Our destiny? Solstheim, of course. The course of war wasn't going so well for the Stormcloaks as I heard conversations among the prisoners. Just as everyone could predict.

The Thalmor holded big incoming since they turned the war to their favor with their new weapons. Now they just brought the will of the Jarls, Lords... They brought whole provinces to keep their domain in Tamriel and continue fighting against the Stormcloak, together with a miserable number of provinces who were hearted enough to join the weaker side. They might witness, same as the people of my homeland, the dark face of the Thalmor.

But that didn't stop the Thalmor, not a single step. Now they were able to buy the soul of the men of Morrowind. Where I'm probably leading to die, or just await the death far away in the horizon everytime I get tortured; and beneath the grounds of a mine, with god-knows what strange dangers await for us under the ground of the hostile lands of the Dark Elves.

I was having a nightmare that time. It was about my wife... I can't stuck out of my mind the fight we have that make her move away from me. I wasn't very aware of the situation coming, the effect of the skooma were still on my veins under those moments.

And so I was woke up by a thunder, that left nothing but a fragment of that day with my ex-wife. I just were able to save a fragment of her face puffed for what seems to be beating, and his eyes shedding tears as she ran away in the dark void of my memories. I don't even want to think about that unless I have the time.

The crew members and the inmates who were tripulating the ship looked very concerned about the storm, they didn't seem to have much hope to get over.

I could hear the bursting sound of the lighting striking against the sea, not much far away from us. The inmates were very disturbed about the storm, so I decided to move along the other prisoners who were running in the quarters. Once I reached the trap door who leaded outside of the ship wrecks, opened the trap, and take a look outside to see how all was going.

Thalmor were running and yelling order over the shipwreck, to the crew members to move the sails from the ship. As the situation was getting tense outside, I saw how a big wave was looming towards the ship. The crew freeze of fear seeing how the colossus take a bigger and bigger shape in few seconds, to then strike merciless against the ship and drag everyone on the wreck to the dark deeps of the sea.

I closed the trap door, and seek any refuge inside the quarters. But I couldn't stay like this, if we didn't do anything we would be sent to the oblivion by the sea, and escaping of this storm would be our only way out to freedom, and maybe sail somewhere we could be allowed to a second chance of life.

Me, together along with a few prisoners, decided to take control over the ship. The other part of the inmates decided to stay inside the quarters like cowards, pleading for their lifes as if the gods would help them. There is a reason why they where here with no one outside who would cry for them if they were gone.

I take place in one of the sails, following the orders of the inmate in charge of leading the ship from the wheel. Hours that seemed ceaseless, passed away fighting against the storm. The brave men who stood up against the wrath of the gods, started to shiver down. Part of them, who felt their bones weakened by the cold, and their energy deplished, they decided to surrender and let themselves be taken by the seas to their eternal rest. They won't be forgived by the men who live to tell about this day. A day who few hold up as they could the punishment of the oppressors until the day of salvation came for them, and so they tried to take their chance.

And so we keep sailing for what seemed hours, we felt in our skins how the storm, far away of stopping, it just got worst and worst. I climbed the lookout tower to get close the ropes and reach them with the sword that one of the dead Thalmor left on the wreck.

But as I reached the top, I was able to see far away how a sea of the most darkened clouds we ever see in our lives, and it were coming toward us. But specially one that highlighted over all.

It had the shape of a beast, and we could hear it's roaring everytime more and more closer to us. Together with the lighting who striked the seas. The gods betrayed us in this day, now we are alone in the storm on the will of that beast. We thought that the leyends of the dark horse Shadowmere could be true, but we didn't expect to face it like this.

As we where right bellow those dark clouds that took the shape of a beast in the sky, warped into a physical form of colt, who rode toward us from the sky, leaving behind a track of dark smoke that consumed the color and brightness of life from the skies.

We could easily think it supposed to be Shadowmere, the shape, the fear, the fierce step of his hooves stepping on the skies toward us...

But there was two reasons that make us doubt. First of all, the legend says that only the Shadowmere would appear in front of the most adept of The Dark Brotherhood. And as far as I know, none of the inmates who boarded the ship seemed to be part of The Dark Brotherhood. ¿Murderer?, sure they are, but never able to murder with the class and elegance as a true member of The Dark Brotherhood would do. Most of this people just hit and run for a misery amount of septims. Life didn't have much value for men this days.

And the second reason that make us realize that, whatever that thing that is approaching is, it didn't fit on the description of how the elder narrated their story. Neither the drunk men at the taverns change any part of the description of the legend, there was no amount of alcohol in this land that could change the thoughts of the true face of fear in the words of frightened men.

Fur grey, as the skin of a dead men, a mane that seemed like a window to the abyss hell of the dark voids out, far away after the night sky. And the sound of his gallop; it sounded like if in that darkness left, he was carrying inside an evil worst than any reading brought by the brave man who decided to adventure himself in the depths of the Planes of The Oblivion, and bring to us in the shape of records another perspective to think about the hell embodied in life.

His glowing eyes... his glowing eyes that irradiated green light that with his gaze shiver down the fleet, that was filled with murderers who thought they already have seen the true face of darkness that life could offer. They were wrong...

And finally, his fangs; who would delight by ripping off our skin and give to itself a feast with our guts. All together being accompanied by the beaming light coming out of his horn, leading him toward us like a beacon, in that brutal storm that dragged together with him, and the feeling of death on his presence...

On that moment, we weren't ready and able to see what striked us. Everything happened so fast...

The darkness surrounded the ship. The people claiming for his life to that creäture... All what they saw before their end, was being blinded by the red light coming from its horn. That was the only thing we were able to see beneath the darkness. The rest... We could do nothing more than just hear the screams and pleading of those damned souls, going through god-knows what faith that demon have awaited for them.

I don't think anybody survived that. And if they do, they would probably die either by hypothermia or swallowed by the sea. And so it happened to me...

I couldn't see anything else but pure darkness...

Or at least I did it for a moment.


	6. Chapter 2: Part 2

_Stranded_

It hurt every time I breathe, and I felt how in every move and any breath, how the bones of my spine sliced with no mercy the flesh surrounding it, and how my ribs stabs my lungs every time it expanded... I can barely breath without tasting the blood on my gullet...

And my legs... My fucking legs...

I never felt so cold in my life. Neither that cold water from that dark sea can't stand against this cold that I'm feeling in this moment. I couldn't move nothing but my eyes, and so I saw what was left from the ship, it was now wrecked, stranded with me and some corpses of a few Thalmor and prisoners to go with me in what seemed to be my last breaths. I couldn't take the pain, I'm not going to wait any second further of this torture, there was a sword not much far away of the reach of my fingers. I can finish the suffering now...

I was so close of end this hell... I would be able to if it were not for that painful ringing in my ear that spreaded to my other senses senses. I couldn't do more than just watch how my last hope was disappearing in front of my eyes, seeing how the all what came with me to this place blurred until there was nothing more left to see.

I fainted...

I think... that same day; I can tell by the position of the sun and the orange of the skies that it is late already, hopefully it wasn't so much time before something or someone from this land, try to kill me... It won't be the first time it happens. With effort and barely aware of my senses, I get on my feet. And that ringing noise together with the pain, it wasn't on me no more...! But I wasn't so aware of it until I stand and see with more clarity the ship that used to be, all crashed over the shore... Planks spreaded all over the sand, together with the corpses of the already mentioned above, passengers who used to sail in that ship like me in moments before.

"Thank, Talos!" I remember that I shout to the skies hopefully that maybe... Just maybe... I wasn't lost of any hope of survive as I thought I was. And just moment after I realized, my wounds! But... They were gone! I can't tell the big reliefe, but in a same way, the confusion that I felt in that moment. The wounds, they were crust! most of it has healed almost completely, and it doesn't even hurt when I touch!

I was so impressed of this... I don't know how this happened but... All that mattered now is that I'm alive, and now I have to find my way back to home. Maybe the gods didn't forsake me after all... May the gods go along with me on my great journey.

I looted the crates and bodies of the Thalmor soldiers left on the shore, I tried to find anything that could help to survive this land, or even anything that could tell me where am I.

I remember throwing a lot of things out from crates and barrels... Not much can be saved on that wreck, just a few loaf from some crates, and a bag with a schedule inside. I wasn't going to left the elven armor of the Thalmor of course, now that I needed it way much more than all of them now.

I was able to save from them the bottom of the armor that would protect my body lower the waist. I didn't find much to protect my chest or my head... most from it was shredded or frayed by the use. But I was still able to get some plates of the chest armor, together with one shoulder plate. It wasn't in his best condition... But I could still give it a good use.

And before I left, I decided to take a further instance to the part of the shipwreck bellow the water, not far away of the seashore. The gods were on my favor in this moment. I dragged large box out from the water, that thing was more dense bellow the water than after I dragged it on the sand. I opened and I couldn't believe what is content was.

"Thanks for the help, you bastards..." I spoke to myself.

A lot of the recent weapon of the Thalmor, but in small and fairly large versions. Ha...! I thought I got strike of luck in the moment. But for my disappointment, most of that weapons got in touch of the water, so they wasn't in conditions to shoot. I knew how this things work on the time I spend on the mines while all the mines grouped together to see the beat up, and further to that, the execution of one of the miners who were together with us. All that dark manner elaborated with this.

And so I could learn among the prisoner what actioned the enginery of the weapon, such as close point where I could find the trigger of all that chain reaction. But as expected, the powder of the weapon was wet by the water where it rest all those moments I stayed unconscious over the shore. Ugh... A lot of weaponry got thrown away before I could finally one seemed able to work decently. Problem is, there was only a little pouch carrying three bullets. I would prefer to save those until the moment need it.

And last thing I did was rip off the bayonet of one of the weapons, and started to push over the crate all over the sand with the useless weapons inside. I wanted to bury the dark secrets that the flames and powder could do on the hands of the least expected, so I took from the sand an elvish sword, that was actually in a fair enough state, and decide to left this place behind of any kind of memories.

_That same evening_

I was so lost of track in this land, and I would really kill anybody for having a bottle of Honningbread Mead at the hand... Thoughts that were interrupted by a buzzing sound of a bug with wings close to me. The sound started to bother me as I keep hearing it after minutes of walking. I turned around to see what was making that sound, but when I saw it, I couldn't really believe if it was real or not. It's anatomy was divided the same as all flying bugs I have seen: A body, a pair of wings, and a amount of smaller legs bellow its body.

But this... It was clearly different from any kind of living being I had seen. His shape was circular, big watering eyes that was hogging great part of what it was supposed to be his head and body, and last his little mouth, what seemed to be recreating a tiny smile expression. All of that together with tiny legs bellow his... "body".

And his colors...! His tone of color of his blue body, together with his green eyes and membranous wings, it irradiated with such life and cheerfulness, that seemed like something taken to life from a book of tales for children. I can't tell if this was utterly disturbing, just the idea of an animal, or a bug just smiling at me, creeped me out. But just by how it look, there was a small part of me who were charmed by it. I was so confused from all the ideas coming to my mind.

As long as I keep making eye contact with that thing, as long as my mind get over loaded with questions that were making me doubt if I was dead or something. But feeling the dirt on bellow my feet, feel the air filling my lungs, and how my tired legs palpitate every time my blood travel around my system, and feeling that "thing" presence so physically real and alive... It didn't stop to burst my mind into pieces of the excitement. I even dare to touch that thing to feel the texture of its skin, just to realize for my surprise and fear, that thing felt more than real. I can't tell if this was good or bad for me for my own reasons.

I didn't knew what that thing thought to do at the moment, neither I knew how it would interact against a stranger like me, and vice versa. By common sense I couldn't pull out my gaze on it. I couldn't risk to a sudden attack once I was vulnerable, and less I would for such a strange creäture like this, being me the one who didn't belong here.

I barely slightly touch the bug with the pummel of my sword, it started to fly around me, I could clearly see how that bug had on his aim on my blade, and barely that prick lay his thin, fragile and small legs on the blade of the blade; that parasite tried to take a chomp from the steel.

Good that I was fast enough to avoid my sword to get bitten. But instead, my hand were the one who receive the damage. That thing bite like hell...! The fragility that a human like me experimented against a small menace like this, plus that I didn't have the best selections of tools to survive, didn't let me so much chances to raise steps on the evolutionary chain.

I tried to swing my sword over and over against that parasite, it dodge the strikes like nothing, so I decided to use something more fast than that, something that it could not be evaded so easily by any living thing.

I putted a bullet on the chamber and managed to take down that thing, leaving a pool of green goo sprayed all over the ground.

I couldn't celebrate victory so fast.

When I tried to inspect the remains left of the parasite, I hear how a whole hive was coming to my position. I didn't have more option than run, and so I did.


	7. To Equestria

_Lost_

Two or three days I survived here since that incident... And still it feel like an eternal punishment for what I did. I still carry the scars while I'm writing this, seeing that scar on my hand, as a reminder that I don't belong here and how it was visible how the hair of my hand growed, together with lines, in a matter of hours.

I couldn't stay here for long... Neither I'm able too. Every time I wake up, I felt how my legs are numbed like if I sleep for years, being steady in the same place... Something really doesn't want me to stay in this world...

I'm writing this... I don't know if it really matters because I'm not even sure if other survived like me, but... I don't want to end up like the other corpses. I don't want to resign to oblivion, I don't want to keep living inside caves on every night, having to stay right in the entrance being aware of what's outside waiting for me to go out, and afraid of sleep for what is lurking on the deeps of the dark, and I don't want to die feeling the weight of the guilt to the last of my days. That's what I am writing this over the empty page of the schedule book found time before, of all what I remembered before ending up here.

I needed to find a way out of here, and soon.

_And so, I close my notebook and prepared myself for another day to survive the challenges of the journey that await me outside_.


	8. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Lost

I spend hours walking. The cold air blows my hair as I walk through the endless green fields of this strange land. Every step I do, every drop of cold sweat that falls to the ground. My resources of water deplished, and I don't have any idea of where the hell am I, yet. But I'm pretty sure I would find answers to all of this... But for now, I need to take a rest, I can't continue carrying my own weight.

I sit on the soft grass and loose the laces of my boots. The soles of my feet were pricking. I don't know how much time I have to keep running so I can finally find an answer to all my doubts. I put my rifle next to me, and manage to massage my feet to stop the paresthesia.

The landscape was beautiful, in moments like this when I feel that all hope to live is lost, seeing a scene like makes me remember that not everything in this world it's all darkened.

I might suffer, or I might bleed to a point that all promise of living is lost. But I know that, even in that darkness, there is always a moment of peace after the storm, places where the darkness hasn't reach yet. And I'm pretty sure that they won't let it reach them.

A new life that born in a corner that the darkness hasn't reach yet, or being the light on that darkened world of somebody to save them from it. Remembering the smile of my wife that used to cheer me up in a bad day... I think that were the reasons of why my will to live were intact.

Even when now I'm struggling on the corners of death and oblivion to survive, and have to carry the burden of guilt, or even have the miraculous chance to being on the place of my dreams just to realize that on my position, everything it is even worse than my life in my other world, but this time being all alone, I know that my wife would be better without me. It would be less harm to her life if I'm not in it. I still can't believe that I were lost here. I took a breath and tied up my boots again. I don't want to wait and see what other dangers are coming to face me while I'm resting and losing time here.

I picked up my rifle and I keep going on my way. Inches that turned into meters, and meters that turned into kilometers and the length increased, and increased with the pass of the hours. Something stopped me on this moment. Some noise, I think I heard some kind of... "whistle"? It couldn't be produced by any kind of creatures that are lurking on this lands. It sound so... Innocent and childish.

I run where the sound was coming, It sounded from pretty far away, I don't believe to see what was the originator of the noise, but I hope that at least it would lead me near to something.

I ran until I get tired again, and stopped to take a look with the sight of my rifle. The originator of the sound wasn't around anymore, I can barely hear the sound of some kind of heavy engine far away at the distance. Everything seems to be clear in the fields, no creatures, neither any kind of civilian...

But I at least I make the biggest discovery that easy pretty much my life in this moment, tracks made of wood and iron...!

I knew that wherever this tracks lead, it would take me to civilization somewhere, it was obviously that this wasn't done by any kind of natural force, so I didn't lost any time further and followed the tracks, expecting the originator of the whistle pass by, or at least to see any kind of civilian wandering same as me in the fields. As long as I keep running on this fields, I realize how the land turned different. The grass was in an autumn orange, with leafs spreaded around covering the grass, together with the snow spreaded over the plane, snow that was falling from the sky, covering the trees. Apparently the winter barely has started.

I stopped running. I tried to take a breath from the cold air and I see how I exhale steam from my mouth. I didn't go through so much just to give up like this. The tracks were getting lost in piles of snow, this can't be the end yet, there must be another way. I sit below a tree, expecting something to happen, something that can tell me what I should do now. I was hungry, dirty, tired and thirsty... That apples hanging from the trees... They look so tasteful... But they are so far from my reach. I couldn't do nothing than just bang my head against a tree hopeless.

I want so much to be in a warm bed and have something to eat, or for the minimal mercy, being on my old pig pen where I used to live and eat the trash that where on the crates, but at least I was safe from any danger. The only thing that I needed to worry about there, It was nothing more than just some rats. It sounded way better than being here dying for starvation or frostbite...

Thoughts that were interrupted when I heard a cracking noise from the dry leaves and the crunch of the snow grouped together, being step on. I get startled and get in position by taking camouflage on some pile of snow, ready for whatever It's coming...

I have my rifle next to me. One bullet in the chamber, one bullet to do the job. I might be able to get something to feed myself for the next days...


	9. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

The Entity

_Equestria, Sweet Apple Acres. Sweet Apple Homestead._

Ah...! The beautiful and fresh morning of Sweet Apple Acres on winter seasons. It's always worth to go through all those days of the heat from Manehattan for this!

I woke up from my bed as always do, and drop a yawn. Ugh... The bed felt so comfortable to even want to put a hoof out of the bed, but... The only idea of go out to play out on the snow, with the Sweet Apple Family and the Crusaders make it worth! I rubbed my eyes with both of my hooves and I managed to get out of the bed where I stayed the night before, the night that I arrive to Sweet Apple Acres to visit my cousins, as in almost every vacation! I took a look out in the window of the room; I'm so excited to see all that snow gathered around the fields waiting for me! It is so exciting to see the snowfall covering all the trees over the acres!

Maybe the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be able to get their cutiemark for snow skiing sledding on this day! Who knows what awaits for everypony in this glorious morning. And is just the perfect moment to go out and play with the snow, so good that I came up here to spend the winter with my beloved cousins! I jumped over Apple Bloom who was in a bed sleeping like an angel. She seemed to be pretty relaxed, or at least until and I grabbed her from her shoulders excited, so I could wake her up to go out and play together.

"¡Apple Bloom! ¡You gotta wake up! The snow you were talking to me before it's falling from the sky! Let's go out and play together before it's over!"

She was barely awakening from her dream. But there wasn't time for sleep now, that can come later after, but I doubt she would even remind the word "sleep" with all the fun we are about to get outside.

"W-what...? Apple Bloom said tired.

"The snow! The one you were talking about to me, it's outside falling from the sky!" I answered, more excited that I never use to be before.

"Maybe we could make snow angels...! Or build a snowman... Oh, oh!, ¡I got an even better Idea! We could build snow fortress and play snow battles together with AJ, Big Mac and the Crusaders, all together!, ¿what do you say?" I let fall Apple Bloom's body on the bed and put my hooves side by side of her head, waiting an answer excited.

She barely opened her eyes, and rubbed it with her hooves. She let go out a yawning and lay back to her bed.

"I don't want to go to school...! The mattres feel so comfy..." She said barely awakening from her sleep, grabbing her pillow to cuddle with it.

"No...! What? ¡No, Apple Bloom! Not school! I said play outside on the snow, c'mon! You promise me to play with me on the snow!" I said to her a bit disappointed about she not being able to play.

This time she didn't answer, she just blanket herself under the quilt and with a weary expression on his face, she get to sleep again...

Oh, well... She might be really tired by yesterday. She was really excited as me now when I arrived to the acres, maybe later we could play when she recover herself. There still my cousins Big Mac and Applejack who could be able to play with me. I started running all way down to Big Macintosh's bedroom, I wanted to wake everypony in this house to see together the beautiful view of that shiny snow over the fields! Maybe me and Big Macintosh could go and play together, he was very strong, so maybe we could build huge fortress of snow and play a snow battle together. I opened the door of my big cousin Big Mac, and I throw myself towards him and jumped next to him on the bed.

"Big Mac!, ¡wake up! Come out to see the snow out on the fields!"

He slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his eyes with his hoof, with an expression on his face of being tired, still.

"Eyup...?" He said in lazy manner, barely able to open his eyes by the light coming from the windows.

"Big Macintosh! You gotta get out of bed! There is a snowfall all over the acres!, ¡Come out to see it with me! Please...?" I said excited jumping next to him on the bed, messing up with the blanket where he was covering.

But he just stayed in his bed and didn't bother to move a hoof out. And so he yawned as he stretched his legs to lay back again on his bed.

"Nope..." He answered tired.

He was... tired, I guess... He always works hard on the fields and so... Maybe I could play with him later when he recharge all his energy. Well, there's still Applejack who could be able to play with me on the snow. And so I run inside the house to Applejack's bedroom entrance, and do the same as before. I opened the door of AJ's room and took place next to her, and gently I took the hoof that protruded out of her bed.

"Applejack! Wake up, you gotta see this!"

She woke up from his bed and carry her back with her hooves on each side of the bed to face me, with a still tired expression on her face. Even so, she still greet me charm and warm in her bedroom. The way how only the Sweet Apple family was able to do.

"H-hey, lil' Babs...! Why are you so excited?" She said as she smiled watching me all excited over the bedroom with the snow idea in my mind.

"There is snow falling right outside on the fields! I was so excited that I woke up early than anyone to see the snowfall! ¿Would you like to go outside and play with me?" I told her excited as I leaned on the side bed, next to her.

"Wow...! Calm there lil' buddy! You just can't go out in that cold without something to cover yo' self! -" Applejack yawned and rubbed her eyes "- Don't you thing it's a little early to go outside anyway?"

"Well, yeah...! But, you know... I thought it would be better when the snow was still falling up from the sky!" I answered to Applejack.

"Hehe... Don't worry Babs, we'll surely go outside and play with you on the snow. -" She started to rub my head "- But fillies aren't supposed to cut their sleep time."

"Y-yes, I know. B-but..." I tried to protest.

"It would be a long day. Don't worry, the snow would still out there waiting for you -" Applejack yawned and stretched her legs "- So it would be better to take all the sleep you can! Because there still people here in the acres who have to take care of the harvest out on the snow."

And so she laid back on her bed and covered herself with her quilt, trying to reconcile her sleep. "Don't worry Babs, we'll surely go outside and play with you in the snow."

"But now we need to rest." She said as she closed her eyes and go back to sleep again.

"Ok... See you later, Applejack..." I answered disappointed.

I can't believe that was so close to the snow, but still don't be able to feel it. I sit down in front of the window to see how my wishes and longings of go outside banished as I saw all those snowdrops falling, piling over the ground. Ugh...! I just wanted to go outside and play with my beloved ones. But now I have to see how all that snowfall go away like my wish to play, as I have to stay here, sitting in front of the window, waiting the other to wake up so I could be able to go...

"Or I don't have to wait...?" I said to myself as I saw Apple Bloom's winter clothes hanging in a peg. And so I didn't lose any second further and decided to put her clothes on and go out to snow. It couldn't end bad. I mean, it would be just some few steps under the snowfall and maybe make some snow angels and go back home before anypony could notice. So I didn't lose any time and step forward the door of the homestead.


	10. Chapter 4: Part 2

Here I am, right in front of the door that once opened I could live the dream of step on the snow... I'm a little nervous, I never had any experience with snow before. But for what Apple Bloom told me about it, I don't think anything bad is going to happen if it touches me. It was just frozen water coming from the skies, ¿right?

I opened the door, and it barely opened, I felt how a shiver feel all way down from my back... But I fight back against the cold as possible and managed to put one hoof down at the ground covered of snow.

For the love of Celestia! ¡It was freezing outside! I don't thing I can take for a long time, but I didn't come here in vain to give up just like that! I was going to enjoy this snowfall in one way on another and nothing, neither this weather, would stop me to do it.

I put a hoof front of hoof, and continued until my whole body was outside the cold wind, and continued by closing the door behind me. Everything was covered in white. The trees, the homestead... There were nothing that wasn't covered by the snowfall. "Ok, Babs... It ain't that bad. You can do it..."

I slowly walked a few meters away from the door. This is when I thought I was having the worst feeling ever on my life.

But in seconds by nothing, it just stopped...! And now everything was so clear to me. All the Sweet Apple Acres empty and covered of snow, waiting for me to explore every corner of it!

Everything was just... So beautiful. So much that I dreamed about the day that I could be finally able to see the snow. But better now...! Falling from the sky! That fresh wind blowing though my mane, the feel of the snowdrop on my fur, and able to hold a snowflake with my hooves and see its shape... It was worth to wait almost a year to come here and presence this. Time passed away when I was walking on the trail that leaded to the homestead, and the time it took me to give a whole round to the acres, and the visit to the carrot farm that was just next to the homestead. I don't think I left anything unseen or leave the ground without my hoof prints all over the snow.

It seems that I just saw everything that I was able to see from the acres. From the surrounding to the homestead, to the depths of the apple orchard where it was located the CMC's tree house club. Except for...

I stepped on in front of the fence that surrounded the acre. And from here its when I see, all that forest left for someone to explore it. I don't think it is a good idea. The sun has risen on the top and probably back in the homestead they might wake up wondering where I am. But I couldn't leave all that plane in front of me. This might be the only time I would be able to get a chance like this. And surely, it seems that there was nopony around who could stop me, or might put a hoof inside that place.

And surely that one would be me.

I managed to jump over the fence, and once I stand on the other side, I couldn't feel more free than before. I jumped over the fence that divided me from being a simply filly to what I am now, and adventurer. This surely will make Diamond Tiara jealous when she start to boast about the mountains of gold she lives in, and of course, the terrain her dad brought so he could grow bigger and bigger. But when I came back, he might build lands, but I'll surely shut Diamond Tiara when I tell her that his father would never be so awesome to put his hands in this whole new world I will discover, my world...! And so I won't lose anytime and I will start by exploring the enviroment of what would be the land of the CMC's!

The forest was wonderful. The trees look bigger than how they used to look outside in the fence, but still. It was so beautiful to look the trees decorated with snow and the red apples that highlighted arround the tree. It was nice to see at the first moments walking in here... But I'm pretty sure there must be something even better than just some trees gathering around on this land, something that could make it worth to explore.

I spend minutes around here and still I didn't find something that I have never seen before! Nothing just than some trees like in the acres. Ugh...! I guess it's over. There is no more to explore here, and the Sweet Apple Family might be wondering where I am already. I think It would be better for me to return so I don't get over much trouble.

What is that sound am I hearing? It sounds like... water flowing? It can't be. There wasn't any mountain close to this area when I looked over the fence, and from the distance they were located, It could take over a day to reach them on my walk rhythm. So there was no way it could...

_And so my pleas were answered..._

There a fissure on the earth as I managed to find the origin from the sound; and as I get more closer and closer to the fissure by the curiosity boarding my mind and nerves I saw that, inside the split of earth there was water flowing. I was shock for this rill inside this forest, not even close to any source of water near the area. Unless that fissure was an underground water source, because for what I could see, still amazed by the fact of finding water under earth, it was a huge size for a normal fissure. And so I knew, wherever the fissure ends, it would lead the water all way long, probably it would lead me somewhere worth to discover.

I followed the fissure all way long to find the other end of it. I have hopes that it could lead me to something amazing like a treasure or something! But when I thought the fissure ended, with my look on the ground, I saw how the water embowel. But when I raised my view, I saw how just in front of me there was small lake frozen, with a mound in the middle of all that ice, what seems to be a small island. But I didn't get excited at the moment of seeing an island in the middle of the forest. What make me get excited was what it's on the top of that island!

I couldn't believe it with my own eyes... It was a huge tree with golden apple hanging around its branches...! It looked so beautiful to see. The way the shining snow-covered in circles the tree together with the apples reflecting the light of the sun above them, it makes me remember a lot to the trees we used to put inside our houses in Manehattan for the hearth's warming eve and receive our gifts... This tree was my gift for the hearth's warming eve, and it was more than worth to come all way long here to find this. I wish Applejack or Apple Bloom could be here to see this with me...

But it doesn't matter anymore. Because when I turn back and tell this to the others, maybe we could work together to cross the fragile ice and manage to share all together those golden apples in the tree with all the citizens of Ponyville, and enjoy the biggest hearth's warming eve ever in life together with my family! Because this is the purpose of the hearth's warming eve at the end, ¿am I right?

And so I didn't lose any time further and step forward to the same direction I came from. I can't really wait to tell this about the others! Oh my gosh, I can't even imagine how I could name this place! Me and the crusaders could think about later, for now; I better don't distract no longer before the snow cover my hoof prints. I was in the middle of my way back to the homestead, but... Something just felt... Wrong.

I couldn't see anything from here, but clearly the presence was very strong. If I remained in silence, I could hear the breathing of the thing, provably provoked by the cold air on the lungs. Maybe if I could see the steam of its breath, I could be able to see the entity who was disturbing my composure.

It must be a moose... Or I hope so. This place didn't have any soul wandering around when I entered, and neither any feeling of life other than the trees surrounding the area. What if... there was any ghost in here...? No it couldn't be. Maybe, Apple Bloom together with Applejack and Big Macintosh were worried about me and so decided to come here and find me! Yea, that could be possible, there is nothing to worry about it. C'mon, Babs! How could you believe in such things as ghost? that's nothing more than just tales made to scare little fillies, there is nothing to worry about it.

Or there was nothing to worry about it until I felt a shiver from my ear. And so when I turned my view to see what was that presence again, it's when I saw it...

I saw a pair of eyes on the snow that penetrated me with its gaze. I don't know what to do, I was just... Frozen. I try to match those eyes with anything I have seen before, but... There was just nothing same to that...! The eyes were just too small. I-I don't know what to do, ¿it will attack me or it will just wait for me to leave? A lot of things were coming through my mind, but bad for me it wasn't good things that I expected from that thing.

"I think I should..."

I try to give steps away from that; but as I give my first step, I hear a flicking noise coming from where the eyes stayed, as it pulled out somekind of iron stick that pointed towards me. I didn't ponder anything about it, but when I saw the hole on the point aiming at my direction, I realized that nothing good would come from it. And in a matter of seconds, a flash came out from it with a bursting sound that startled me as I never did before. It was like if someone exploded a balloon just next to my ear and still, that analogy wasn't even half accurate of how strong that sound was; seeing that hole left on the burst wood from the tree behind me make me clear that I wasn't welcome.

I don't care if that thing was able to run faster than me or not, neither what it was going to make me once it reach me. I ain't going to stay here to find out. I run as fast my legs allowed me to, and so I heard its steps on the snow too. I don't even dare to look behind, I just wish this to come to an end and never in my life disobey what Applejack says...! I stumbled on a pile of hard snow that was on my way; by pure instinct I tried to stand up using the same moment of the rolling to step on my hooves, just to be stopped by the cold feeling of steel going through my skin to break the bones of my hind leg.

That thing grabbed me from my mane and lift me up from the ground, the low effort it put to it was much enough to rise at the point I didn't even felt the snow bellow my hooves. I know this was going to be my end; it didn't matter how much I cry, by the way it looked at me with its cold and dead blue eyes, while it grabbed that bloody sharpened steel on his other hand, It was clear that he desired from the depths of its being to eat me, like the monster it was. And its face... It disturbs to know that the last thing I would see it is his outrageous flat face staring at me as it finish with my life.

"Applejack!" I tried to ask help various times that feels like yelling on a void where nopony could help me.

He crushed me against the snow; as that cold I felt before was coming again all over my back, and so it took my neck, making my life go in the last exhale of breath that came out from my mouth in steam. I didn't want this to be my end! I wasn't ready yet! I didn't want to lose my family and friends just like that. There was still much I have to live...! But that didn't seems to matter to that thing... I closed my eyes and pressed my teeth against each other to decrease the pain, as it raised its stained blade, making clear to me the faith that awaits me.

I don't know why it is taking so long, it was playing with me before it finish me off? I don't know, I didn't want to see. But after moments that seemed eternal, that thing left my neck go and I hear how it ran away on the snow. I try to open my eyes to see if it was over, that thing really left me go? But I barely opened my eyes I felt how something grabbed me by my shoulders and tried to take me away.

"No! Get off me! Don't eat me, please!"

"Hey, Babs! Calm down! It's me, Applejack!" I hear those beautiful words that give me the biggest relief of my life, and I didn't think twice before throwing myself to her and let myself cry of relieve.

"Don't worry, I'm here now. -" comfortable warm caressing my mane covered of snow I feel in this moment of relief"- Babs Seed, what you were thinking about going outside the acres? I clearly told yo' in the homestead to wait for the company of an adult. Jeez... Look at that leg...!"

"I know Applejack! And I'm so sorry! I won't disobey you again, never ever in my life...! It is ok for me if you ground me, but I don't want to be alone...! -" I let my tears fall down more strong as I hold tight closer to Applejack, and so she did too. "- Cousin, I want to go home...!"

I covered myself on her warm presence, the cold was just too much to hold it longer. My sight, it's fading away. My breath, it's cutting off. I don't know how much I'm able to resist... The embrace of Applejack the only thing that feels so good in this moments.

I... I think I'm going to take a rest here... I can't feel my own legs.


	11. Chapter 4: Part 3

_That same day at the afternoon... A bursting sound of a door slam startle the Sweet Apple Homestead._

"Big Mac! Granny Smith! I need your help here, quick!"

Everyone who live under the cover of the roof under the homestead startle and approached at the desperate howl coming from the entrance of the stead, to be received with the shocking surprise of seeing one of their fellow one at the edge between life and death, carried on the stained hooves in blood, from one of her beloved ones who tried to give her best to save her.

"Granny Smith, I need you to take all medical supplies we got!"

And so Applejack carried what could be Babs Seed's body, all way straight to the dinner table of the stead. Granny Smith ran as fast as she could with hopes of save the poor creäture. Big Macintosh saw at the bright red color of the wound, on all the days everyone had worked on that fields, no one had ever get wounded in such a scale; they got accidents from time in time... Even Apple Bloom get troubled while working on the farm, but it was nothing more than just some scratches left from falling most of the times. But this... the sliced meat, the blood, and the bone... It was the most whitest thing they ever seen on their lives. Nothing like that happened to them before, that clearly was something that couldn't be caused by accident. That was what the elder thought, but little they know about what kind of dangers and creatures lurks under the deep darkness of the dark trees under the shadows of the forest, just outside the fence of the apple orchard.

"Big Mac, I need you to clear the table! We need a free space that allow us to heal Babs."

And same as their grandmother Smith, he didn't lose any time and as fast a he could, removed all object that laid over the table, where Apple Jack lay the pale body of wich breath was barely able to hear.

"C'mon! Where are the supplies that I ask for!"

Granny Smith run across the hallway carrying the supplies on her back. The adults on that room group together around the young Babs. They tried so much to give their best chance to save her. Beads of sweat were falling from everyone around, nervous if there was any salvation for the poor creäture. They didn't want to lose her, and least, they didn't want her to left this life with the only memory in her mind of what will be the most traumatic experience ever in her life. They were interrupted by a pitching voice coming from the other side of the room.

"What happened...!?"

They heard the scared voice of the young Apple Bloom that tried to approach to see if whatever or whoever was in the middle of the circle, could give any clue of where Babs Seed where at.

"Big Mac, me and Granny Smith can handle it. You take care of Apple Bloom away from here while we finish working on this. Ok?"

Big Mac nodded, and gently took Apple Bloom upstairs to her room. She tried to get loose from Big Mac hooves, even when he is way bigger and stronger than her, those facts didn't stop her to try to run where Babs Seed was laying. Specially since she saw the faded eyes of her beloved cousin laying on the wood table, almost extinct, from steps up on the stairways, seeing her in the space left between Granny Smith and Apple Jack. Attempts in vain against the great force of Big Mac.

"Wait...! Let me go, I have to help ma'h cousin! No...! Stop!"

Almost half an hour of intense attempts to stop the bleeding and return Babs Seed back to her conscience. But didn't matter how much they tried, not any lesser signal was able to catch from her, nothing more than her breathing that slightly started to get lower and lower, until there was nothing more left to hear.

"C'mon, Babs! Don't make this to all of us! -" Apple Jack put her hooves side by side of the head of Babs Seed, as Granny Smith finished covering the wound with bandage and stitches. "Please, Babs! Get up...! Don't give up like that!"

Desperated moments go through the whole homestead during that terrifying afternoon. The tension, the fear, the desperation... No one had faith already if the young one was even gonna make it. The faith didn't seemed to be in their favor at the moment. And so, hearing nothing but the deaf noise that left cold Granny Smith. Together with Applejack breaking on tears over Babs Seed body.

But for Granny Smith everything wasn't so lost at all.

"Hey, lil' Applejack. ¿Yo' saved the Zap apple jam after the harvest, don't yo'?"

Applejack sweep the tears of her eyes and tried to calm down the tension of her throat and lungs of crying.

"Y-yeah... There are some jars on the fridge. But why?"

Granny Smith didn't bothered to answer the question and didn't lose time going to the fridge and bring a jar of Zap apple jam to the table to open it.

"W-what? How is this going to help Babs Seed?" Questioned Applejack, as she heard Granny Smith chuckle confident without any doubt that the apple jam will help.

"Oh dear... Yo' barely know the potential of the harvest of the Everfree forest, same as me... As you remember, this ain't any usual apple you ever seen in yo' life, a harvest that barely any of us have any knowledge about it."

Applejack saw confused her elder as she started to pour jam inside Babs Seed mouth.

"B-but... Are you sure it would help?"

Granny Smith chuckled at the question given as she finished pouring the jam.

"I really don't know. -" She closed the jar "- But for what I have seen while being under the dire shadows of the Everfree forest in the search of this apples, I saw with both of ma' eyes how the trees, the animals, any kind of living thing that surrounded the area of the forest, gathered around the apples. And then I saw something that I never thought could ever happen in that place."

"What did you see Granny Smith?"

"I saw love, compassion... I saw how the beast, instead of fight to take a chunk from the apples, they just calmly help each other to take the apples and enjoy the taste of its flavor on their hideouts. Of course I didn't wanted to bother them, exposing ma' self and be a threat for them and their apples. But beneath the bushes I saw how the animal and plants stand full of life while having those apples close to them.

"There's something special about it that make all of them wait long periods of seasons just to have the apple on their reach. I think it's what keeps the forest alive for moments. I think it's what its full of. Life."

Applejack thought about the words that came out from Granny Smith, and give herself a moment to think about it. So she sit together with Granny Smith, hoping that she was right on what she said. Minutes pass away, and didn't seem to give any result. Applejack seemed to tense again, seeing how her only hope vanish in front of her. But she thought too fast. Barely Applejack was moving out of the room, a weak breath came from what used to the lifeless body of her beloved cousin. She didn't think twice to approach fast and try to hug her. But Granny Smith didn't allow her, she warned that she need to stabilize first before entering in any kind of contact because that could shock her.

Even so she wasn't able to express her the gratitude of seeing Babs again, she decided to hug tight Granny Smith, who saved one of the most important pony their lives. And so she, together with Granny Smith, who might be old, but under the age she save the force of a bull, carefully carried Babs Seed upstairs to Apple Bloom's room, where she stayed. They entered to be received with Apple Bloom and Big Mac hugging each other, crying, confused for what was going on.

"Babs Seed! Is she ok?"

Apple Bloom jumped out from her bed and walked together next to Applejack.

"Yea, but for she just need to rest. -" Together, they laid Babs Seed's body on her bed "- I-I... I'll be out of the acres for a few moments, Ok?"

"But why? Where are you going?" Said Apple Bloom concerned.

"I'm gonna go where Twilight's at and ask her help, together with the other girls. You'll stay here and wait until I came back, understood?

"Big Mac, Granny Smith; lock the doors and windows, and don't open the door to anyone except for me. Both take care of Apple Bloom and Babs Seed when I'm gone, Ok?" Ordered Applejack, as Big Mac nodded accepting the task.

"I don't want you to leave...!"

Applejack leaned in Apple Bloom's direction and stroked her mane.

"Look... I can't forgive ma'h self for not being there to help Babs before she got hurt like that. And I clearly won't forgive ma'h self if something happen to yo' too. So I need to go with the girls to know what kind of threat we are dealing with, Ok?"

"B-but" Tried to protest Apple Bloom.

"No ifs and buts, Apple Bloom. There is no discussion about it and you'll stay here when I'm out, Ok?"

"Ok..." Said Apple Bloom as she down her gaze disappointed for not convincing Applejack to stay.

And without losing time, Applejack ran to Ponyville as fast as she could. There was a danger outside that Ponyville wasn't ready yet, and she feared the worst if whatever it's outside, it could be able to raid not only the Sweet Apples Acres, that is already something painful to think for her, but other families who could go through the same experience as her and Babs if they don't prepare themselves for the darkness that would come to Equestria.


	12. Chapter 5: Nowhere (Take of Decision 1)

**Chapter 4**

_Nowhere._

I'm running as fast as I can away from there. I can't believe I didn't finish it off! I had it just in front of my eyes, already bleeding and twirling in agony on the snow... ¿But why I didn't kill it? Or I should call it, "her"? The way she begged for mercy in her last breath take my guts away to even think about how hungry and desperate I was, it wasn't normal to see animals talking easily like that with such emotion back in Skyrim. We might have our demons, beasts, and other kind of twisted creatures. But this "horse" was different. It was like hearing a girl crying for her life.

And then I heard how probably other of her kind was coming to aid her, I could take her both and last for moments... But what I remember, if my body doesn't start to consume itself by starvation, there was some kind of... Winter clothes on her...? So it wasn't not only the fact they talk, they communicate to each other, and they dress like my kind; and I'm sure they probably had fundations just a few meters away in the direction she was running. But the memory of me almost taking the life to that poor "filly", who feel the same as we do, it's that wherever they live, it's my only hope to escape from all this danger for once.

But if those "animals" are what I think, intelligent as my kind, they probably put awareness about what could be for them, a monster haunting in the forest... Or a thing. They might not receive me diplomatically after what I did to one of their kind, so the choose of raiding any kind of hideout and take whatever I can to survive it's another option. Besides that, there's a slight chance to be "captive" and throw me somewhere to refuge at least. But both are just so risky to do, I don't want to think what **_THEY_** would do to me if I surrender on my knees, I already know what their beast are capable of. But either I don't want to have horses hunting me down in the wilderness with torches and arms. If there's anyway they can use a weapon.

At these moments of desperation my options are running out as my vital force its fading in matter of time. I should act fast.

**_Author's Note:_ **_Take of decisions. I want this fanfic to highlight of the rest for the interaction of the readers with the story, choosing in specific parts of the fanfic choices that can either lead to a good, bad or neutral ending, together with more content as epilogues and, depending on the choices, a sequel to the story._

_Options:_

A) Skal should raid the homes of the equestrians.

B)Skal should surrender to the equestrians.

C) Skal should stay undetected from the equestrians.

_Write in the review your opinion about the fanfic to improve it and keep it going, and so, comment A, B or C, and the most selected option would be choose to continue the story._


	13. Chapter 5 (a)

_Ponyville, Equestria. On the way to Twilight's house._

I fear about what could happen in the stead if I'm not there to watch, but either I liked or not, I have to trust Big Mac and Granny Smith to take care of themselves and the kids while I'm gone. Even nopony, including me, the others and Celestia, has any idea of what we are dealing here.

"Twilight! Ah need you to move your hooves here, in this right moment!"

I knocked the door, over and over, trying to get any answer. I knocked till my hoof left a mark on the door. "Hey! What's going on out there?" I heard a voice from the inside, which was walking downstairs to answer the disturbing sound. "Oh, it's you Applejack, how are you? Why you look so troubled? ¿What's going on...?"

I rushed to the entrance of the house seeking the assistance of Twilight, but didn't matter how loud I pronounce her name, I didn't have any answer from her.

"Hey, Applejack, you're freaking me out. ¿Why you need Twilight anyways?" Questioned Spike.

"I'm sorry, sugar cube. I'm afraid that I'm a lil' hurry and I don't have much time to chitchat with anyone but with Twilight. You know where she is right now?"

The small one walked from his place, holding his chin while moving from there to there, grabbing cards from a table trying to remember where she was in these hours. "Well, I think she was supposed to do her royal things in Canterlot for sure... I'm not sure when she's supposed to arrive exactly."

"Darn it...! Ah don't have time for this! Spike, you have a quill and ink to write?" I firmly asked.

"Y-yeah... But Applejack, please tell me, ¿what's going on? I'm seriously getting freaked out."

"Sorry, I'm as confused as you. If I knew what's going on I would gladly tell you, but I fear it would be something that me, you nor anypony would like to know. That's why is better for everyone to let this to the Elements of Harmony." I answered.

"Ok, I understand... ¿What can I do to help you?"

I took a piece of paper from a pile in a table and together with Spike; we sit in front of it. "I need you to write a letter to send it as fast as possible to her and Celestia, ¿would you do that for me, sugar cube?"

"Of course, Applejack!-"He took out a quill and stained the point with ink. "- What do you want me to write?"

"Ok, I need you to tell them to reunite in the acres as fast as possible. Whatever they're doing, it can wait...

"Look, Spike... I need to hurry up to the barn as fast as possible, ¿could you do me the favour to complete the letter for me and send it to the other girls too, please?" I asked.

"Sure thing, Applejack!"

As first as I saw the dragon press the quill against the paper, I start to run all way across back to the stead. I hope everyone are ok, I need to help them with Babs Seed too... Darn it! I almost forget about it. Even about what Granny Smith did, she still looks pretty weak. I'm afraid for her being in the same situation again... Better for the others to move quickly before anything else happens, because from now; I'm not moving from the Homestead until this problem is solved.

_Homestead, Sweet Apple Acres._

"_Big Mac, Granny Smith! I'm back! Open the door!" _

I knocked the door, over and over. Nopony answered back, nopony seems to hear my voice. My concern started to grow as in the inside I hear the voice of Babs Seed crying for help. A feeling like a snake with a skin made of ice shards roam in my back, ¡Babs needs my help and I'm not up to lose her again! I kicked the thin wood plank without any effort to enter, just to feel sorry for making the biggest mistake of leaving them when it was clear that they need me next to them to help.

The whole house was a mess, floor and walls... Tables and Chairs... Everything was damaged or completely destroyed. The floor was full of snow that leaked from the outside by the broken windows, and the walls were full of scratches and holes. It froze me to think what could have been from the kids, my grandma and my brother.

_If I just stayed with them..._

"_Anypony! Help!"_

I heard again the crying that broke the shock of the moment, and without losing time I started to run upstairs to the room where the screams where coming, and I entered the empty space where it used to be a door and shocked again, I found the room totally clear; and when that scream started again, with a nod in my throat and the adrenaline flowing in my veins, I started to search **every **place or spot possible where she could hide. I lifted scrubs from the floor; I searched on gaps and holes... It looks like I'm just trying to find ghosts.

I putted both of my hooves in my head, desperate, as I started to give small hits on both sides of my head with them as I keep hearing the hopeless plead of Babs, it sounded like a poor baby all alone to survive the danger.

I breathe deep, and think again... "Where Babs Seed could be?" I answered myself that. So I decided to calm down and use a better strategy. I decided to breathe as low and calmed as possible and moved slow and chill. I tried to locate the source of the crying hearing closely, and follow the way that lead to the source. And the result, it leaded me to the bed where she was supposed to rest.

I search under the bed. No, she wasn't under the bed. I search under the blankets. No, she wasn't under the blankets. She was nowhere.

But there was something curious in the mattress... From my perspective it seems to be to have a bump, like if something was **inside** of it. I removed every blanket and object that could obstruct my way, and when I was done, I finally find her. From little gaps over the mattress, who I think was for her to breathe, I saw her green eyes shedding tears, covered by the shadow of the obstructed light by the mattress. I lifted the mattress and throw it away, and see how in the middle of it, there was a hole carved in the right size for a filly to fit. I picked up Babs and hugged her tight against me.

"Babs Seed, are you OK...? ¿What happened?" I asked as I started to stroke her mane trying to comfort her.

"It attacked...! It tried to come back for me! I saw how that thing attacked everypony here, and I didn't do anything!" She replied.

"It was the same thing that...?-" Babs nodded startled, barely the words crossed her ears. I took a breath and tried to calm her before I ask any more questions.

Poor kid, she didn't deserve to see whatever things just happened here. But, ¿what about Apple Bloom, my grandma and Big Macintosh? Where they could be?

"Babs, I need ya' to tell me in detail, ¿what just happened? ¿why the others are not here?"

Babs wiped her tears and struggled with the tension of crying in her throat, she told me every detail from what she knew, from A to Z. What I heard... It crushed me...

"It took Big Macintosh as his first victim... The bastard attacked him by surprise, and once it finishes with him, that thing goes after Apple Bloom and Granny Smith and drags both of them away far away in the snow...

"After a few minutes, Big Mac tried to stand up and go after him to rescue both girls... And he tried to run, still stunned to the deeps of the forest. And so I lost his sight...

"I'm so sorry Applejack! If I just listened to you and haven't jumped the fence, this never would have happened...!"

"No, Babs. This isn't your fault. Nopony could have ever know what kind of things haunts in that forest, as in the same way; nopony could have ever know whatever it's inside of it, could soon or later decide to move around here. -" I took gently her head with my hooves to make her look at my eyes. "- It's not your fault, OK? Whatever is happening, I would take care of it and Granny Smith and your cousins would be back unharmed, OK sugar cube?"

She nodded and looked at me for a few moments with her watery eyes. I wiped her tears and hugged here again in a sign to her that everything would be OK.


End file.
